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Top Ten Moments of 2025: Pedro Gallese’s Shootout Heroics Lead Orlando City to Leagues Cup Semifinals

Our No. 2 moment of 2025 is Pedro Gallese’s iconic penalty shootout performance as both a shot stopper and scorer to lead the Lions.

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8 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

As we count down to the new year of 2026 — which will be Orlando City’s 12th in MLS, the Orlando Pride’s 11th in the NWSL, and OCB’s fourth in MLS NEXT Pro — and say goodbye to 2025, it’s time to look back at the club’s 10 best moments of the year as selected by The Mane Land staff via vote.

Go with me on this, because I’m talking a little baseball before getting to the soccer. With their move in 2022 to allow Designated Hitters in both the American League and National League, Major League Baseball (MLB) essentially abolished the concept of pitchers who also hit. There have been a few exceptions since — notably four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, who is basically a unicorn as an elite hitter and pitcher, but aside from Ohtani, pitchers simply do not bat anymore. Baseball-reference.com‘s tracking shows 322 pitchers who logged at least one at bat in 2021, but during the four seasons since, it was a total of 13, and only Ohtani had more at bats than he could have counted on his fingers.

As a huge baseball fan, I understand why MLB leadership wanted to install the Designated Hitter in both leagues, but I also miss the pure form of baseball that I grew up reading about from the early days of baseball and watching in the National League until 2022. I also miss a phrase that I heard for years when I was playing baseball myself, a phrase that was often shouted out by a coach or a parent when the pitcher would come up to bat late in a game with a chance to get a hit to give their team the lead: “win your own ballgame.”

Pitchers still earn wins in MLB, but they almost never have the opportunity to drive in runs to help themselves achieve those wins. Goalkeepers in soccer operate in a similar manner, though there was not a time, recently or ever, when goalkeepers used to score lots of goals. Major League Soccer has been around since 1996, and there have only been two goals scored by goalkeepers in regulation play — one on a long ball that got caught up in the wind and took a huge bounce over the opposing goalkeeper, and the other on a stoppage-time corner kick when every player was in the box trying to score a last-minute equalizer.

Goalkeepers contribute to goals every season with their passes (there were five goals scored in MLS in 2025 that came directly off a pass from a goalkeeper), but goalkeepers scoring goals is extremely rare except in one circumstance: penalty kick shootouts.

And that brings us to Orlando City’s Leagues Cup quarterfinal game against Deportivo Toluca of Liga MX on Aug. 20. It was a matchup of a team from Florida against a team from about an hour west of Mexico City, which for obvious reasons was played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, approximately 2,000 miles away from each team’s home base.

Orlando City came into the quarterfinal after finishing fourth among the 18 MLS teams that participated in Leagues Cup, winning two of its three group-stage games and drawing the other, but losing in the penalty shootout. Toluca earned its way into the quarterfinal with the same record in the group stage, except the Mexican side earned an extra point by winning the penalty shootout after drawing.

The 90 minutes of regulation play did not produce many highlights, as both teams looked a little weary from the travel and having played just a few days earlier in their respective leagues. Toluca had a little more possession (51%-49%) but played a lot more of the game in the Orlando City half of the field, doubling up the Lions on touches in the opposition’s box (25-12) and taking 15 shots to Orlando City’s four. Both teams struggled to put shots on target, however, with Toluca unable to put any shots on goal and Orlando City only managing one, and thus normal time ended scoreless, sending the game straight to penalties.

It was Orlando City’s second shootout of the competition, and while El Pulpo had not been having an elite season in 2025, he was still difficult to score on via penalty kicks, as he had shown by saving the first attempt in the first shootout against Pumas. Everyone’s favorite soccer stat, xG (expected goals) codes penalty kicks in most models with an xG of 0.79, meaning that a penalty kick taker is expected to convert 79% of the time, or one out of every five shots. Gallese had hit the average against Pumas, saving one of the five, but his teammates had let him down by only converting three of their five, leading to a shootout loss.

Óscar Pareja had a different group of players available to him for shootout selection than he did after full time against Pumas. In that game he had included Eduard Atuesta and César Araújo in his opening five, but against Toluca, Atuesta had already subbed out and Pareja decided not to include Araújo, likely because the Uruguayan had missed his attempt in the Pumas game. Pareja also did not have Designated Players Marco Pašalić or Luis Muriel available, as they both had subbed out already as well. After consulting with the coaches and available players, he selected Martín Ojeda, Robin Jansson, Alex Freeman, Joran Gerbet, and Kyle Smith for his initial five shooters, leaving Iván Angulo, Araújo, Ramiro Enrique, Gallese, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Tyrese Spicer in reserve for if the shootout went beyond the initial five shooters.

Spoiler alert, it did.

Toluca went first in the shootout, and through two shooters it appeared like the Diablos Rojos had Gallese’s number, as on each they sent him the wrong way and converted. Ojeda and Jansson were up to the task though, and so deuces were wild as it was 2-2 after two rounds. Starting in the third round, El Pulpo locked in though, as he exploded to his right and just missed saving a well-placed kick that was in the upper corner. Freeman equalized, and then on the fourth shot, Gallese once again nearly made the save, going low and to his left this time, but again coming just inches away from making the save. Gerbet and his unusual penalty kick style went next and he converted, and so it was effectively do-or-die starting in the fifth round, as each team had been perfect through eight shots.

Toluca’s Franco Romero sent Gallese the wrong way on the fifth shot, but Smith did the same to Luis García, and it was on to sudden death. At this point the player selections for the kicks moved to being on a one-by-one basis, and Nicolás Castro was up for Toluca. Gallese had correctly gone the right way on two of the last three attempts, and he made it three out of four on Castro’s shot, leaping to his right and getting a big right hand out to deny the ball from going into the corner, making the first save from either goalkeeper during the shootout. Orlando City had an opportunity to win the game, but Enrique could not convert, and the shootout continued to a seventh round.

El Pulpo was radiating with self-confidence going into the seventh round, and he once again read the shot correctly, leaping to his right again to stymy Juan Domínguez, giving the Lions the chance to put the game away once more.

Coming off of back-to-back saves, it was clear that Gallese was in the zone, and he stepped up to take the next kick himself.

“When I saw that he was so convinced to take it, it was no doubt that he was going to do it,” Pareja said after the game about the decision for Gallese to take the next shot.

The Peruvian called game with his shot, using his usual mini-step routine from goal kicks and free kicks to get his feet set and then sending García the wrong way to win his own ballgame and put the Lions into the Leagues Cup semifinals.

In a season of hat tricks by Orlando players (see top 10 moments numbers nine, eight, and three from the list at the bottom of this article), Gallese’s three consecutive monster plays to produce save, save, goal and win the shootout himself were nearly enough for Orlando City’s No. 1 to earn the number one spot on our top 10 list for 2025.

El Pulpo sadly has moved on to the greener pastures of Deportivo Cali in Colombia, but when he inevitably returns to Orlando for his induction into the Legends’ Terrace, they will surely play the clip of him making that final save and following it by scoring the walkoff winner during the 2025 Leagues Cup quarterfinals, our number two moment for the 2025 season.

Come back through New Year’s Eve as we count down the remainder of the top 10 moments of 2025 for Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and OCB.

Previous Top Moments of 2025

10. Orlando City clinches a playoff berth for a sixth consecutive season on Alex Freeman’s late game-tying goal.

9. Luis Muriel’s hat trick powers Lions to Leagues Cup knockout rounds.

8. Martin Ojeda scores Orlando City’s first hat trick since Cyle Larin did so all the way back in 2015.

7. Orlando City sweeps rival Inter Miami during the regular season, winning both games by three goals.

6. Martin Ojeda breaks Orlando City’s single-season record for goal contributions.

5. Orlando Pride midfielder Luana returns to the pitch after being out for a year due to cancer treatment.

4. Alex Freeman has a breakout season, winning MLS Young Player of the Year and becoming the first Orlando City player to be named to the MLS Best XI.

3. Barbra Banda makes history by scoring the first hat trick by an Orlando Pride player.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome San Diego FC to Orlando for the first meeting ever between the two clubs.

Published

12 hours ago

on

September 5, 2026

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Image of Joran Gerbet playing against Minnesota United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (7-11-4, 25 points) and San Diego FC (8-8-6, 30 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first-ever meeting between these two teams from different conferences

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

As mentioned above, tonight’s meeting between the Lions and San Diego is the first in the series history, so there is no history. The Lions are 2-2-1 against Western Conference teams this season, which means little to nothing in this particular match, and San Diego is going to be Orlando City’s final opponent from the opposite conference in MLS regular-season play this season.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a wild 3-3 road draw at Minnesota United a week ago, in which Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann scored on either side of halftime on Orlando’s first two shot attempts to put their team up 2-0 in the 64th minute. Minnesota stormed back with three goals off defensive errors in a four-minute span to take a late 3-2 lead. Just when the Loons appeared to be headed for all three points, Tyrese Spicer scored in stoppage time, forcing Minnesota to split the points. Orlando has a modest 1-0-1 unbeaten streak entering tonight, and the Lions are 5-4-2 at home in 2026.

San Diego is coming off a 3-1 home win over the LA Galaxy despite having Jeppe Tverskov sent off. Tonight’s visitors have won two straight games, but both were at home. They lost their last home game 3-1 at Portland on Aug. 19 and are 2-5-3 away from home this season.

The key for Orlando City tonight will be to mark Anders Dreyer, which is far easier said than done, as he has emerged as one of the league’s best playmakers. His eight goals and 11 assists give him 19 total goal contributions to lead his team. Marcus Ingvartsen is Dreyer’s favorite teammate to combine with, as the Danish forward has converted 11 times, leading San Diego in goals, and has added five assists. However, Ingvartsen is listed as out with a lower body injury. Midfielder Onni Valakari has chipped in four goals and seven assists.

“We respect San Diego, but as well we prepare our game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We know how strong we are, especially at home, so now we go.”

Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot) and Adrian Marin (thigh), while Bernardo Rhein (thigh), has been upgraded to questionable. San Diego will be without the aforementioned Ingvartsen (lower body) and Tverskov (suspension).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Daryl Dike.

Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Tiago, Marco Pasalic, Martin Ojeda, Tyrese Spicer.

San Diego FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: C.J. dos Santos.

Defenders: Kieran Sargeant, Ian Murphy, Manu Duah, Oscar Verhoeven.

Midfielders: Gabriel Pirani, Anibal Godoy, Alejandro Alvarado.

Forwards: Elias Achouri, Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer.

Bench: Duran Ferree, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Christopher McVey, Bryan Zamble, David Vazquez, Ian Pilcher, Alex Mighten, Bryce Duke, Amahl Pellegrino.

Referees:

REF: Joe Dickerson.
AR1: Corey Parker.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Jeff Muschik.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Three Keys to Victory

Here’s what Orlando needs to do in order to return to winning ways against San Diego.

Published

2 days ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After the disappointment of two dropped points against Minnesota on Saturday, Orlando City is back home with an opportunity to get things back on track. The Lions need to keep picking up points if they want to keep pace in an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference, and Saturday’s game is a good chance to start September off on the right note. San Diego FC stands in the way of that good start, and what follows are three things that I believe Orlando needs to do in order to emerge victorious from this game.

Stay Strong on the Left

The left side of the defense has been a question mark for the Lions for much of the year. Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, and Zakaria Taifi have all spent time at left back lately and have done so with varying degrees of success. Regardless of who suits up there on Saturday, that area of the field will be under scrutiny once again, since they’ll be tasked with stopping San Diego right winger Anders Dreyer. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances this year, has played 60 key passes during that time, and is generally the lynchpin through which the San Diego offense operates. He hasn’t quite been on the same pace that saw him bag 19 goals and 19 assists in the regular season last year, but with four goal contributions in his last three MLS appearances, he’s extremely capable of wreaking havoc from the wing. A lot of the goals OCSC has conceded lately have come down the left side of the defense, and if that area of the field can’t be taken care of better, the Lions will likely be in for a difficult night.

Do Damage in Transition

Orlando’s current style of positionless, fluid, attacking soccer is at its best when it comes up against teams that want to come out and play. It struggles mightily against defensive bunkers but shines when the Lions can get out and run, target open spaces, and combine with teammates in unexpected areas. Fortunately for OCSC (in theory), San Diego is a team that likes to have the ball, as it has the highest average possession in the league. That means the Lions will have opportunities to force turnovers and break the other way at pace. In order to make that happen though, OCSC will need to be both disciplined and effective when it comes to applying its press. Then, if/when the Lions win the ball, correct decision-making and clinical execution in the final third will be key to avoid letting any chances slip through their fingers (paws?).

Clean Up the Self-Inflicted Errors

Orlando has dealt with more than its fair share of general defensive struggles this year, but avoidable errors have been a particular problem in recent weeks. Whether it’s been an ill-advised challenge, passing to the opposition in the defensive third, or leaving men unmarked in the box, unnecessary mistakes have cost OCSC points time and again. Against lesser opposition it hasn’t always mattered, as the Lions were able to rescue three points against Real Salt Lake, but if Orlando wants to make a playoff push, it needs to make a habit of playing cleaner games, plain and simple. San Diego is a good team with dangerous offensive players, and Saturday’s visitors will very likely take advantage of any opportunities that the Lions gift-wrap for them. Keeping things mistake-free will go a long way.

We’ve got ample proof this season that nothing is guaranteed, but if the Lions can lock down the left side of the defense, make hay in transition moments, and limit unforced errors, then they should be in a good position to take all three points from Saturday’s game. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 9/4/26

Martin Ojeda details his recovery from injury, Anna Moorhouse loaned to Manchester City, Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup journey, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three straight days of Orlando soccer starts tonight with Orlando City B’s road match against Inter Miami II at 7 p.m. Hopefully, Orlando’s teams do well over the next few days as crunch time is upon us when it comes to making the playoffs, especially for MLS NEXT Pro. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for San Diego FC

Orlando City will take on San Diego FC on Saturday in the first-ever game between the two clubs, and one of the storylines to keep an eye on is how much Martin Ojeda plays as he works his way back from injury. The Designated Player came off the bench late in Orlando’s 3-3 draw against Minnesota United in his first appearance since May 23. Not often injured, Ojeda spoke on how being off the field for over a month has shifted his perspective while training to return.

“You learn to value the moment much more. You learn to value every training session because, when you’re training on your own and you’re not available to your teammates, you feel uncomfortable,” Ojeda said. “You value being healthy more. It’s like everything in life. When you feel good, you live life almost on autopilot, so to speak. You go to work, you go home, you come back, you sleep. However, when you or someone close to you goes through an illness or something like that, you value the moment much more and become more conscious of what you’re experiencing.”

Pride Loan Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City through January of 2027. Moorhouse joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season and helped the club win both the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024. However, she has struggled this year alongside the rest of the Pride’s defense. Moorhouse hasn’t played in the past two games for the Pride, with Cosette Morche starting in her place. Her current contract with the Pride lasts through the 2027 NWSL season, so we’ll have to wait and see what her future with the club is when the loan ends.

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Journey

Between the World Cup, regular season, and Leagues Cup this summer, it can be easy to forget that Orlando City is still in contention to win this year’s U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are in the semifinals of the tournament after crushing Atlanta United 4-1 in the quarterfinals back on May 19. The Lions won much tighter affairs prior to that win, with Javier Otero coming up with seven saves in a 1-0 win over FC Naples and Zakaria Taifi scoring in stoppage time to beat the New England Revolution 4-3 in the following match. Orlando will be on the road for its semifinal match against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16, but the offense has received a boost due to the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Daryl Dike this summer.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS signings continue to pour in as teams look to improve their squads for the rest of this season and beyond. The Colorado Rapids signed Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Sadiq from AZ Alkmaar, where he recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 85 appearances across three seasons with the Dutch club. San Diego also added an attacker by signing forward Cedric Bakambu, who joins as a free agent after playing at Real Betis. As for other notable moves from across the league, Real Salt Lake signed winger Dusan Zagar as an MLS U22 Initiative player, forward Lyle Foster joined the Houston Dynamo on loan, and the Columbus Crew continued to improve on offense by signing Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury on loan from Panathinaikos.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Christina Burkenroad is retiring from professional soccer and Monterrey will have Saturday’s game against Toluca be a send-off match for her.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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